Violet Crawley
Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham is the widow of the late 6th Earl of Grantham, mother of Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham and Lady Rosamund Painswick , mother-in-law of Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham and Marmaduke Painswick, grandmother of Lady Mary Crawley née Crawley, Lady Edith Crawley, and the late Lady Sybil Branson nee Crawley, grandmother-in-law of Tom Branson and the late Matthew Crawley, and great-grandmother of Sybil Branson and Mary and Matthew's Son. Biography Early Life Violet was the daughter of a Baronet and may have had three sisters; Roberta, who took part in the Seige of Lucknow in 1857Episode 2.01: Violet says that Roberta "loaded the guns at Lucknow", thus confirming that Roberta was at least in the Seige of Lucknow, even if she did not fight., a woman who "married a Gordon" and a woman who is Susan's mother, if Roberta or the woman who "married a Gordon" is not that woman. While she was born into nobility, her family was relatively impoverished and she brought almost no money with her upon marriage. Her marriage to the Sixth Earl of Grantham, brought her a title but little money as the Earldom was also impoverishedConfirmed by the press pack for Series 1;'' page 7.. Life at Downton Violet gave birth to two children, a son and heir, Robert and a daughter, Rosamund. Not following in their mother's footsteps, her children married into money rather than nobility. The Countess was against Robert's engagement and marriage to the American heiress Cora Levinson, in 1889,Confirmed by the press pack for Series 1; page 5.'' but did reap the benefits of her fortune"24 years ago, you married Cora, against my wishes, for her money. Give it away now, what was the point of your peculiar marriage in the first place?"; Violet says this in 1913: Series 1 Episode 2.. Series 1 The death of James and Patrick Crawley changed everything for Violet as her granddaughter lost her chance to marry the heir of the Earldom. The new heir, Matthew Crawley did not live up to her standards as he was of the upper middle class rather than nobility. Unlike her son, Violet refused to accept the change in Mary's inheritance which caused her to form an alliance with her daughter-in-law Cora Crawley. When the two Countesses realise that Matthew would remain heir to the Grantham title and Cora's fortune, they shifted their focus on getting Mary to marry Matthew. The urgency for marriage was heightened when Violet was told by her niece that a rumour was spreading around London that Mary was not virtuous with Kemal Pamuk. She was scandalised to learn that the rumour was true, and further urged Cora to get Mary to marry Matthew. This period of time was characterized largely by Violet's many quarrels with Isobel Crawley , mother of Matthew. As president of the Downton Cottage Hospital, Violet held complete control over the hospital and its chief doctor, Richard Clarkson. Mrs. Crawley began to intimidate the doctor into pursuing modern medical practices, such as the administering of adrenaline to cure dropsy in a local farmer, despite the protests of the Dowager Countess. She pursues Isobel and Clarkson into the operation room, where she witnesses the farmer's life being saved. In order to avoid further episodes such as this, Robert appoints Isobel Chairman of the Board, forcing Violet to share power with her. Another time was during the Downton Village Flower Show. Isobel learned that Violet was the perennial winner of the Best Bloom in the Village Award. She believed that the Dowager Countess won out of intimidation, pushing aside Bill Molesley, father of her butler. Isobel and Violet bickered as usual, and Robert, Cora, and Mary all sided with Isobel. Violet prepares to announce herself as the winner, but has a sudden crisis of conscience, seeing Bill Molesley's defeated face, and instead announces him as the winner. When he thanks her for "letting him have" the award, Violet lies and says the judges decided that he was the winner, confusing Cora, who was one of the judges. By the time of the 1913-1914 season came around it seemed that her designs were coming to fruition and Mary was to marry Mathew. However when Cora became pregnant Matthew's position went into question and Rosamund advised Mary to wait until the baby was born to agree to marry Matthew. Violet was completely against this idea and advised Mary to agree to marriage using the logic that agreeing to marry a man when his whole future was at stake would make him love her forever. Also, she advised that Mary had the option to change her mind if the baby was a boy and Mathew lost his fortune. Unfortunately Cora lost her unborn son after she slipped getting out of the bath. Cora is unaware that O'Brien cause her fall and miscarriage by sliding a bar of soap across the floor. O'Brien was bitter over her mistakenly believing that Cora was looking to replace her when Cora was actually just helping Violet replace her lady's maid Simmons which O'Brien discovers when Violet asks her about it later on. Mary took Rosamond's advice which alienated Mathew leaving Violet to agree with Isobel Crawley for the first time. "Your quarrel is with my daughter, Rosamund, and not with me. So put that in your pipe and smoke it." . Series 2 Throughout World War One, Violet remained a somewhat strong influence at Downton Abbey. On the day of the Benefit Concert, she learns from Isobel Crawley that Matthew, now a captain in the army, is engaged to Lavinia Swire . Violet observes this match with distaste, as she still hoped, along with Robert, Cora, and (to some degree) Isobel, that Matthew and Mary would end up together. She also dislikes Sir Richard Carlisle , a newspaper tycoon who Mary takes a romantic interest in. She also fights with Isobel over Violet and Rosamund scheme to intimidate Lavinia out of her engagement with Matthew. They are especially spurred to action when Rosamund overhears Sir Richard threatening Lavinia in the gardens. Mary uncovers that Lavinia was blackmailed into helping Sir Richard start a political scandal, and is terrified of him. However, she refuses to use this information to destroy her, comparing it to her situation with Kemal Pamuk, and Rosamund and Violet are defeated. When Isobel suggests to Cora that Downton Abbey be used as a convalescent home for wounded soldiers, Violet reacts with horror and disgust at the prospect of unknown men living in the house. Cora coldly reminds Violet that she is no longer the Countess of Grantham, and says that she will make the decisions regarding the house. Lady Sybil accuses Violet of not being able to communicate between social classes, prompting her to reveal that she and Carson the butler always had the first dance at the servants' ball. During the time that Downton was used as a convalescent home, Violet bore witness to a concert that Mary and Edith put on for the soldiers, in which Matthew and William the footman return home after a period of being missing-in-action. Mary sings, "If You Were the Only Girl in the World," and Violet is one of only two audience members who doesn't sing along (the other being Tom Branson), and stares in confusion at those around her for participating. It seems that she has observed Tom Branson admiringly looking at Sybil instead of joining the singing which leads to her visible indignation and perhaps is the starting point of her vague suspicion that Sybil may have an unsuitable suitor. As the war progresses, Matthew and William are both wounded. Matthew is transferred to the hospital at Downton, but William, whose lungs have been critically wounded, is forced to stay elsewhere due to the fact that he is not an officer. Violet, backed up by Edith and William's father, goes against the promoted Major Clarkson and other military officials in order to bring him back to Downton so he can die comfortably. They succeed, and Violet forces the local vicar to marry William and Daisy Robinson while he is on his deathbed. Violet, Edith, and the entire downstairs staff attend the wedding. He dies six hours later. Matthew, however, suffered a spinal cord injury, confining him to a wheelchair. At one point, a badly burned Canadian officer named Patrick Gordon comes to Downton to recover and claims to be Patrick Crawley, who allegedly survived the Titanic, recovered in Canada, and was caught in an explosion in the war. Violet, who has grown used to Matthew, reacts with indignation. Lord Grantham's lawyer, George Murray, speculates that Officer Gordon was a business associate of Patrick Crawley, and would have known some details about his life that would allow him to impersonate Patrick. The officer leaves Downton, not missed by anyone but Edith, who believed it was him. The war ends, and Isobel is pushing for Downton to remain a hospital. Violet and Cora, who both want life to return to normal, manage to convince her that the refugees left disadvantaged by the war need her help more. In 1919, the Spanish Flu hits Downton Abbey, infecting Cora and Carson and killing Lavinia Swire. At the same time, Sybil plans to go through a "scandalous" marriage with Tom Branson, the family chauffeur. Robert and Violet attempt to talk her out of it. When they are unsuccessful, Violet decides to minimize the damage by making up details about Branson that would make the marriage seem more acceptable to other members of the aristocracy. Violet also tells Matthew Mary is still in love with him, that she "looked like Juliet upon awakening in the tomb" and warns him when he chooses to marry he cannot undo it later. When he later tells Mary about this meeting, she responds about her grandmother, "Classic Granny." Christmas Special Violet invites Sir Anthony Strallan over for tea, perhaps to rekindle his interest in Edith, who is present and remarks "I thought it was just us" upon seeing him outside. But upon seeing he has been injured, she later regrets her actions, telling Rosamund if Edith married him she would spend the rest of her life as a nurse maid. Later, when Richard Carlisle announces he is leaving and that they will not likely meet again, she replies, "Do you promise?" She also forgives Matthew for breaking a vase during a fight he had with Carlisle, saying it was a gift "from a frightful aunt and I've hated it for half a century." Series 3 Violet is set to clash with Cora's mother, Martha Levinson, when she arrives at Downton. She is the one who sends Sybil and Branson the money they need to return to Downton for the wedding. However she does not approve of Edith's pursuit of Strallan, and tells her son to tell Strallan to stay away. He is willing, but Edith is devastated. After Sybil dies from eclampsia after having given birth to a girl, Violet is utterly smashed; giving a gasp and hobbling - old, worn down and devastated - across the hall, she comforts her son when Cora blames him for Sybil's death and later learns the truth. By pressuring the family doctor to explain to Cora and Robert that Sybil´s chances of survival would have been almost nil even if she had had a Caesarian she helps her son and daughter-in-law to overcome their estrangement. Her niece's daughter Rose comes to visit her. She reveals Rose is eighteen and that she is Rose's mother's godmother. However, when Rose's behavior in London comes to her attention (she tricks Rosamund into filling her with the details saying Edith told her when she did not and Rose accidentally reveals going up to see Terence Margadale), she decides to send her north. On learning from Lord Grantham that the estate´s agent has resigned after a heated argument with Matthew over the running of the estate, she suggests to make Tom Branson the new agent because this would ensure his staying on at Downton together with his daughter, her great granddaughter. When the family travels to Duneagle in September 1921, she expresses concern about Tom leaving behind, feeling he will be unsupervised. While in Scotland, she realizes just how frosty the relationship between Rose and Susan is, and realizes Susan does not handle it well. Personality Violet Crawley has always been a woman who prefers to have a firm grip on matters, sometimes manipulating with her cunningness to change people's perception about things. One of her major motives is to protect the honor of the family and to safeguard it from ever becoming a topic of gossip. She is known to be sarcastic and competitive. Yet, throughout the whole series so far, Violet has developed a deeper side of sensitivity. She takes great love with her family and would prioritise them. For example, Violet agreed to be of assistance to Mary, should Mary be in the face of humiliation and scandal. She did this because she knows and understands how important Mary is in Violet's life, not only as a lady, but as a Granddaughter as well. Violet is a humorous and cheeky, but also fair, woman who stands up for her beliefs. Quotes Series 1 *"What is a weekend?" (Episode 1.2) *"No Englishman would dream of dying in someone else's house." (Episode 1.3) *"Why does every day involve a fight with an American?" - Regarding a swivel chair (Episode 1.4) *"Your quarrel is with my daughter, Rosamund, and not with me. So put that in your pipe and smoke it" (Episode 1.7) *"What's the matter, I have plenty of friends I don't like."- to Robert. Series 2 *"Oh, that's a relief. I hate Greek drama. When everything happens off stage." (Episode 2.011) *"Edith, you are a Lady, not Toad of Toad Hall." (Episode 2.02) *"I'm a woman, Mary. I can be as contrary as I choose." (Episode 2.04) *"Oh really! It's like living in a second-rate hotel, where the guests keep arriving and no one seems to leave." (Episode 2.04) - (Violet on the soldiers who staying at the convalescent home at Downton Abbey). *"I don't dislike him, I just don't like him. Which is quite different." (Episode 2.06) *"Oh, I should steer clear of May. Marry in May, rue the day." (Episode 2.06) *"Marriage is a long business. There's no getting out of it for our kind of people. You will live 40, 50 years with one of these women. Just make sure it's the right one." (Episode 2.06) *"No doubt you will regard this as rather unorthodox, my pushing into a man's bedroom uninvited." (Episode 2.07) *"I was watching her the other night, when you spoke of your wedding. She looked like Juliet on awakening in the tomb." (Episode 2.07) *"Don't be defeatist, dear, it's very middle class." (Episode 2.08) *"I do hope I'm interrupting something." (Episode 2.08) *"Now, Sybil, dear, this sort of thing is all very well in novels, but in reality, it can prove very uncomfortable." (Episode 2.08) *"What is this driving mania?" *"You'll find there's never a dull moment in this house."- to Carlisle when Carson becomes ill. 2011 Christmas Special *"1920! Is it to be believed? I feel old as Methuselah." *"When I think what the last 10 years has brought. God knows what we're in for now." *"Do you promise?" (Her reply when the jilted Sir Richard declares they will probably never meet again.) Series 3 * "Are you really that tall?" "Yes Milady." "Thought you might have been walking on stilts" -to the new footman Alfred Nugent. (Episode 3.01 ) * "Branson, I mean Tom, you're a member of the family now. You'll find we Crawleys stick together." -to her grandson-in-law. (Episode 3.01 ) * "I'm so sorry, I thought you were a waiter." -to her son, in reference to the fact that he was wearing black tie at what should have been a white tie event. (Episode 3.02 ) * "My dear, when tragedies strike, we try to find someone to blame. And in the absence of a suitable candidate, we usually blame ourselves. You are not to blame. No one is to blame. Our darling Sybil has died during childbirth, like too many women before her, and all we can do now is cherish her memory, and her child." (Episode 3.05) *"It seems a pity to miss such a good pudding." (Episode 3.06) *"Since we have a country solicitor and a car mechanic, it was only a matter of time." - in response to Edith becoming a journalist. (Episode 3.07) * "That's the thing about nature; there's so much of it." (Christmas Special) Notes *Violet's date of birth is unknown, but the latest it can be is 1848, as seen by this site: http://groups.msn.com/britishgenealogy/yourwebpage1.msnw - direct quote: "The age for matrimonial consent was fixed at 7 years. However, as puberty was accepted as the age for consummation of the marriage, consummation was not expected to take place until a girl reached the age of 12 and 14 for boys. From 29 September 1653, the legal age for marriage was fixed at 16 for a man and 14 for a woman but the law was changed in 1660 and the ages of marriage reverted to 14 for the groom and 12 for the bride. The Marriage Act of 1753, made it illegal for those in England under the age of 21 to get married without the consent of their parents or guardians. However, the consent requirement was repealed and replaced in July 1822, therefore, from 1823 the age at which a couple could undergo a valid marriage, without parental consent, reverted to 14 for boys and 12 for girls." As stated above, this shows that the youngest Violet could have been was 12 at the time of her marriage; as she, in the 2012 Christmas Special, says that the first gillies ball she went to was at Balmoral "in 1860" we can state that her date of birth was, at the latest, 1848 Behind the scenes Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham is played by actress Dame Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey television series. Appearances References Crawley, Violet Crawley, Violet Crawley, Violet